


The Man in the Mask

by dragonflyMerri



Category: Merlin (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-23
Updated: 2012-03-23
Packaged: 2017-11-02 10:16:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/367881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonflyMerri/pseuds/dragonflyMerri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A masked ball - and a chance encounter - or is it?</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Man in the Mask

“Merlin! Where’s my mask?” Arthur rooted around in a side cupboard, tossing aside clothing, muttering to himself “MERLIN!!”  
“What? I’m just bringing your cost….what happened??!! Merlin stood in the doorway, looking around wide-eyed at a room covered with discarded clothing. “I was only gone 10 minutes! Why are your clothes all over the room??”  
“Because I can’t find my mask, can I? God Merlin, sometime you can be so dense!” Arthur said, throwing his hands up in exasperation.  
“How does flinging your clothes all over the room help you find your mask?” Merlin retorted in disbelief.  
“Merlin – where….is….my…..mask?? Hmm????” Arthur spoke to him as if he were slow in the head  
“Look…on…the…chest” replied Merlin, imitating Arthur’s derogatory tone.  
Looking nonplussed, Arthur looked over to the chest then gave a cry of triumph. The shout masked the snort of derision from Merlin, as he dropped Arthur’s costume on the bed and began picking up the tossed clothes.  
“How do I look?” Arthur turned to face Merlin, wearing his mask.  
“Like a prat” muttered Merlin, not bothering to look up.  
“Merlin! How do I look?!”  
“Hmm? Oh fine, yeah, you look great” Merlin peered up from where he was bent over gathering a selection of Arthur’s shirts.  
“Does the mask disguise the fact that I’m the Prince?”  
“Wha??…Are you??…You’re going as the Sun!” Merlin pointed out the obvious in disbelief. “Your costume is cloth of gold and your mask is a great bloody big sun!!  
“But does the mask hide the fact I’m the Prince?” Arthur struck a pose of casual nonchalance.  
Merlin choked back his derision, shaking his head. “Oh yes, excellent disguise, Arthur – yeah, no one will ever guess the guy dressed all in gold is the Prince of the kingdom!”  
Arthur missed the sarcasm in Merlin’s voice as he had caught sight of himself in the mirror and was busy preening, checking the fit of the mask, and finger-tossing his hair to lie becomingly against the golden rays radiating from the top of the mask.  
“Where’s my costume, Merlin? Did Gwen finish the alterations?”  
“It’s right here. Gwen did a great job. You should probably get dressed now. The guests will be here shortly and you’ll need to be there to greet them.” Merlin didn’t mention the fact that Arthur standing at the head of the room welcoming guests wasn’t going to help his disguise in the least. “You might want to remove that mask while you dress.”  
Merlin helped Arthur to change into the sumptuous costume and glittering cloak. When Arthur put on his mask, Merlin had to admit that the Prince really did look splendid and very regal. He gave Arthur a grin of approval as he stood back to admire the effect.  
“You do look great Arthur” Merlin said, and this time was quite sincere in his praise.  
“Right – wish me luck. Oh, and take the night off – go do…whatever it is you do.” Arthur tossed Merlin his trademark grin then strutted out the door.  
Merlin grinned at the closed door. Arthur could be a real tosser at times, but he certainly knew how to rise to the occasion.

****

The masked ball was in full swing and the room glowed with the lights of hundreds of candles. Beneath their light, the rich and varied costumes of the guests created a lush tapestry of color and glamour. The music swirled over the excited chatter of the guests and Arthur had more than his fair share of dances.  
The guests had quickly picked up on the fact that the Prince didn’t want to be recognized, so they went along with the delusion. Consequently, Arthur enjoyed himself immensely flirting with all the young ladies, confidently hidden behind his golden mask.  
It was while he was taking a break, unthinkingly sitting on his chair beside the throne, when he spotted a guest moving amongst the crowd at the back of the room. What drew his eye to the young man was that, unlike his other guests, he was wearing an all black costume, cut in the current fashion, but adorned only with black trim. His face was hidden behind a black mask that exposed only his eyes, his lips and chin. Arthur saw the man stop and chat with a young lady before moving on. Curious, he headed over to find out who he was. But when he reached the back of the room, the man was gone.  
“Looking for someone Arthur?” It was the young lady.  
“You’re not supposed to know who I am” Arthur replied, rather annoyed that his disguise had been penetrated.  
“Arthur, it’s me – Gwen. I made your costume, remember?” Gwen smiled at him and took a sip of her drink.  
“Gwen! Didn’t recognize you with that mask on. Well, thanks for the costume, it’s working out great. No one knows who I am!” Arthur’s eyes scanned the crowd.  
Gwen choked on her wine, rather alarming Arthur, who turned to slap her on the back “You alright now?” he enquired as she wiped off her mouth, and the suggestion of a smirk. “I wanted to ask you – I saw you talking to a man who was all in black. Who was he?”  
“Oh, no idea” Gwen looked at him all wide-eyed and innocent “Just another guest I presume. Why?”  
“Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just, something about him struck a chord” Arthur’s voice was thoughtful as he continued to scan the crowd. “Well, best get back to my guests. Thanks again for the costume – brilliant job” Arthur grinned at her before turning to leave.  
He wove his way among the guests and was buried amidst the crowd when a soft voice with a lilting Irish accent asked from behind him “Are you enjoying the ball, Sire?”  
Arthur whirled around to find the stranger in black standing before him, his head tilted to the side and a smile playing on his lips. Arthur stared at those lips, and noticed a small dimple just below the bottom lip, off to the left.  
“You look quite splendid in your costume” the stranger’s voice had a cadance to it that quite took Arthur’s breath away. He looked up into the bluest eyes he had ever seen, eyes that danced with laughter, as the lips parted into a cheeky grin. “Lost for words? That’s a first!”  
“Who are you?” Arthur was stunned by the effect the stranger had on him.  
The stranger leaned in and whispered in Arthur’s ear “Just another guest. No one special – unless you want me to be.” And with that, he melted into the crowds.  
“Wait!” Arthur whirled around, eyes searching between bodies, trying to find the stranger, but he seemed to have disappeared.  
“Loose somebody Arthur? I mean, sir” Gwaine danced by with his partner, looking enquiringly over at Arthur.  
“There was a man, all in black. He was just here – did you see him?”  
“Sorry, sire – I’ve only had eyes for this pretty little lady in my arms” Gwaine smiled down at his dance partner, who giggled in response, before they themselves were lost in the swirl of bodies.  
Arthur was with a group of young nobles when the voice again whispered in his ear, the warm breath of the whisper sending shivers down his body.  
“Arthur, your beauty outshines them all. You are the day to my night.”  
He was so shocked to hear the voice coming from behind him, and to feel a hand settle briefly on his waist, with a light squeeze, that it took a moment for him to recover. By the time he whirled around, the stranger was gone again.  
Arthur’s hand shook as he took a drink from his goblet, trying to settle the tremble in his body.  
It kept happening. When he least expected it, when he was otherwise engaged in conversation, when he was paused from dancing, the voice would again whisper in his ear. Sometimes a hand would touch him, sometimes a tongue would flick a quick caress on his ear or neck, and each time, he was just a moment too late to catch the stranger. And each time, his body kicked into overdrive, his nerves taunt with longing. It was getting harder and harder to disguise his disquiet.  
Arthur drank more than he would have normally, trying to drown a growing and desperate need. Instead of enjoying the festivities and the many offerings coming his way, he prowled the hall, eyes searching everywhere. Every accidental bump had him spinning around in hope, only to be dashed by an apologetic guest. And still the voice found him, taunted him, teased him with offers. Still the hands caressed him, still the tongue tasted him.  
By midnight, Arthur was a raging torrent of need and frustration and confusion. He had never looked at another man that way before, had never even considered it, yet here, where the most elegant and beautiful ladies in the kingdom were gathered, all he could think about was the slim stranger in black.  
All his eyes could look for, all his ears longed to hear, all his body wanted to feel, belonged to the stranger in black. Just when he thought he might loose his mind, he felt a gaze upon him and turned to find the stranger in black. He was across the hall, leaning in the doorway to a dark hallway and he was staring directly at Arthur, with a small smile on his masked face.

****

Arthur dropped his goblet and lunged into the crowd, towards the doorway. At the last minute, the stranger slipped back into the darkness. Arthur dove in after him, then stopped, blinded by the sudden darkness after the brightness of the banquet hall. When his eyes adjusted, he saw the stranger silhouetted against a window where the moonlight poured in. The figure disappeared to the left.  
“Wait! Please!” Arthur ran after the figure, down a dark hallway, guided only by the pale moonlight. There were so many shadows and only glimpses of the stranger as he moved further down the hallway.  
Arthur slowed, frantically searching the shadows, when suddenly arms reached out and pulled him into a dark alcove. He was thrust up against a wall and a slim body was pressed against him.  
The stranger reached up and pulled Arthur’s mask off, but kept his own on. Arthur’s heart was beating out of his chest and he couldn’t breath. His whole body was electric.  
“Hello Arthur” the voice whispered. By the faint moonlight, Arthur could see laughing blue eyes and the shadow of a dimple.  
“Who are you?” Arthur never even thought to resist his capture.  
“I am midnight to your daylight.”  
“Why are you doing this?”  
“To get your attention.  
“Why? What do you want?”  
“Just this.”  
The stranger’s dark head dipped slowly and Arthur was kissed.  
Arthur’s eyes drifted closed as he lost himself to the exquisite beauty of the kiss. The stranger’s lips tasted of honeyed mead as they softly caressed Arthur’s lips. A tongue flicked out, coaxing Arthur’s lips to part and a soft groan breathed into his mouth. Arthur’s answering moan of longing opened his mouth to the stranger, and the tongue danced into his mouth, rubbing against the roof of his mouth, melting Arthur completely into the kiss. Arms slipped around Arthur’s waist, pulling him into the stranger’s body as the kiss deepened.  
Now the stranger was making love to Arthur through his kisses. Arthur kissed back hungrily and his hands reached out to grasp the strangers slim hips and pull him more fully into the embrace.  
The stranger broke the kiss, breathing heavily, and stepped back. Arthur felt completely boneless and clung to the wall. “Please, don’t stop this,” he begged, his voice horse from yearning.  
The stranger leaned into him again. Arthur felt his arousal pressing against him, knowing it was answered by his own. The stranger’s lips drifted from Arthur’s lips to his neck and began to bite and caress their way up and down, from collarbone to ear, flickering into his ear, biting his earlobe, nibbling the cord of muscle in his neck. Arthur was helpless to do anything but throw his head back, inviting more of the kisses and caresses. The stranger’s body was leaning fully into Arthur’s own and it seemed to belong there so completely.  
The stranger sighed and softly kissed Arthur’s lips, then whispered into his mouth,  
“I have wanted this for so long.”  
The next kiss ignited in a passion that took Arthur’s breath away, and the two men entwined in a kiss that encompassed their whole bodies.  
Suddenly the stranger wretched himself out of Arthur’s arms and stepped away. Arthur opened his eyes and the two men stared at each other, both panting, desire flaring between them. The stranger’s gaze dropped to Arthur’s swollen lips, and his tongue slipped out to lick his own lips. Arthur closed his eyes with a groan and reached out. But his hand felt only emptiness. He opened his eyes and the stranger was gone.  
Arthur’s legs gave way and he slid down the wall bewildered – what the hell had just happened?

It took a while for Arthur to return to the ball, and when he did, he downed an entire goblet of wine. Somehow he knew the stranger wouldn’t reappear and that knowledge caused his heart to twist. He didn’t even know who he was, hadn’t even seen his face. Arthur spent the rest of the night in a daze and determinedly got plastered.

****

Arthur staggered into his room in the early hours of the morning. Completely forgetting he gave Merlin the night off, he bellowed for his servant, and wasn’t the least bit surprised when he appeared to help prepare him for bed.  
“Did you have a good time at the ball?” Merlin asked as he removed the cloak and started tugging up the shirt.  
“Excellent.” Arthur’s voice was muffled by the shirt Merlin was tugging over his head.  
“Did you meet anyone? You know, anyone special??” Merlin pushed Arthur over to sit on the bed then bent down to remove his boots.  
“Someone special… yeah, you could say that…don’t know who it was though… but yeah, someone special.” Arthur’s voice had a far-away quality to it as he flopped back on the bed. “Someone special… who are you?…” Arthur’s voice faded away and Merlin realized Arthur had passed out.  
Sighing, he swung Arthur’s legs up on the bed and hefted the inert body into a more comfortable position, then flipped the covers over him.  
“Good night sweet Prince, sleep tight”

****

Arthur sat at his desk attempting to concentrate, but instead of the documents in front of him, he kept seeing the masked face of the stranger, those laughing blue eyes, those lips and that elusive dimple. And he kept remembering that moment in the corridor.  
Across the room, Merlin was busy dusting, humming softly to himself, occasionally breaking out in a lyric or two. It took a while for Arthur to notice, but when he did, he frowned – he didn’t recognize the words.  
“Merlin – what’s that song you’re singing?”  
“Pardon?”  
‘That tune you’re humming – what song is that?”  
“Oh, it’s an old Irish ballad that Gwaine taught me. Kind of sticks in your head.” Merlin grinned then continued dusting and humming. Once again he absently sang a line to the song.  
“What did you just sing – those words?”  
“They’re Irish words – I’m not quite sure of their translation, but the words are…” Merlin’s light tenor wrapped around the Irish words, then he dropped back into humming as he moved about the room, duster flying over every surface.  
Arthur felt the Irish words settle around him and he remembered the stranger’s voice, and that same Irish lilt, that same light tone, that same… He felt his breath catch in his throat, stunned, as he stared at Merlin.  
It was the long unbroken silence that finally attracted Merlin’s attention. He became uncomfortably aware that Arthur was staring at him. He tried to keep his back to Arthur as he moved about the room. A glance over his shoulder however, showed him that Arthur was now staring at him with a frown on his face.  
“Something wrong sire?”  
“Smile, Merlin.”  
“What?”  
“Smile.”  
“Why?”  
“Just do it – smile.”  
Merlin was still looking at Arthur over his shoulder. He tossed off a quick grin.  
“Not a grin, a smile. A proper smile. Come here and turn around to face me.”  
Merlin approached slowly, a look of suspicion on his face.  
“What’s this about?” he asked.  
“There’s something about you, Merlin….” Arthur said slowly, considering.  
“No, no there’s not” Merlin shook his head in denial.  
Arthur narrowed his eyes as he assessed Merlin. “Smile for me Merlin.”  
Instead, Merlin bit his lip, not at all sure what Arthur was getting at.  
“Urm, I don’t have anything to smile about.”  
“Me in my sun king costume,” said Arthur, and without meaning to, Merlin broke into a broad smile.  
“I KNEW IT!!” Arthur leaped to his feet, alarming the hell out of Merlin, who leaped back and instantly lost his smile.  
“You – have a dimple!” Arthur pointed his finger dangerously close to Merlin’s mouth “When you smile, you have a dimple!”  
“What? No I don’t…. do I??”  
“Yes, Merlin, you do.”  
“Is that bad then? A dimple?”  
“Well, that depends Merlin.”  
Suddenly Arthur peered closely at Merlin’s eyes, forcing Merlin to rear back.  
“You have very blue eyes Merlin.”  
“So do you.”  
“And you’ve got dark hair.”  
“It’s not a crime” Merlin reached up and defensively swiped at his hair.  
Suddenly Arthur face took on a superior, knowing air.  
“You have blue eyes, dark hair and a dimple.”  
Merlin was becoming increasingly alarmed “So what? Lots of people have blue eyes, dark hair and a dimple.”  
“Ah, but that’s just the thing, Merlin.”  
“What is?”  
“Lots of people with blue eyes, dark hair and a dimple, were not at the ball.”  
“The ball?? Oh, I wasn’t anywhere near the ball. I, um…. I was out.”  
“Out?” Arthur looked at him doubtfully “Out where?”  
“Out…urm, out gathering herbs…for Gaius.”  
“In the middle of the night?”  
“Yes! Some herbs are better at night,” Merlin nodded reassuringly.  
“You’re lying, Merlin. You, were at the ball… in a very dramatic costume… and you were flashing that dimple”  
“No. No, you’re mistaken.” Merlin shook his head emphatically in denial. “Why would I be at the ball? I wasn’t invited. And anyway, where would I get a dramatic black costume?”  
Arthur smiled in triumph. “I never said the costume was black.”  
Panic flared in Merlin’s eyes. “What? Yes, you did. ”  
“No, I said it was a dramatic costume. I never said it was a black costume. You Merlin, were at the ball!”  
Merlin’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. He shrugged his shoulders defensively and began to back away from Arthur. To his alarm, Arthur followed him.  
“Nothing to say for yourself?” Arthur asked conversationally, continuing to following the backing-up Merlin “Nothing to say about…oh, I don’t know…. how about teasing me and leading me on a merry chase for half the night? Hmmm? How about the whispered suggestions in my ear, hmmm? How about what happened in the corridor!”  
Merlin backed into the door with a thump and Arthur’s hands instantly slammed on the door, on either side of his head, trapping him. Merlin opened his mouth to say something, thought better of it, then closed his mouth. Then he thought of something else, opened his mouth to say that, thought better of it, and again closed his mouth. Finally he resorted to biting his lip and dropping his gaze.  
The two of them stayed like that for long drawn-out moments.  
“Look at me Merlin.” Arthur’s voice was soft, dangerously soft. Merlin hesitantly, warily, raised his eyes. “It’s a dangerous game you’re playing Merlin. Do you have any idea of the turmoil your actions caused?”  
Merlin shook his head with tiny, jerky movements.  
“Have you ever seduced anyone before?” Again, Merlin shook his head.  
Arthur’s eyes flared. His gaze dropped to Merlin’s lips then raised to look into the blue, wary eyes. Arthur’s gaze was intense, but his voice remained soft “Well, you’re remarkably good for a beginner.”  
Shock registered on Merlin’s face and his mouth dropped open.  
“Oh Merlin,” said Arthur softly, “You really shouldn’t do that.” He brought his head close to Merlin and kissed him.  
Merlin melted into the kiss, his eyes drifting closed. He lifted his mouth up to Arthur’s and was rewarded by a deep groan. The kiss went on and on, each of them tasting the other, softly biting the other’s lip, exploring the other’s mouth with their tongue, drinking in the essence of each other. And the whole while, it was only their lips that touched. Merlin remained glued to the door. Arthur kept his hands on the door, his body arched away from Merlin. When the kiss ended, their lips stayed together, nipping at the other’s lips, dropping butterfly kisses, then deepening back into passion.  
This time, Arthur dropped his hands to Merlin’s shoulders and pulled him into an embrace. Merlin’s slim arms wound around Arthur’s waist, and he stepped closer, until he could feel Arthur’s body pressed up against his.Time stood still and nothing mattered but the feel of the other’s body, and the taste of the other’s lips.  
Now Merlin took the lead, changing the kiss from a single deep one to a series of small ones that travelled from Arthur’s lips, down his jaw line and to his neck, where he nibbled his way down the cord of muscle to the collar bone. Arthur shuddered against him and started nibbling on Merlin’s ear, running his tongue around the outer shell, then burying itself in his ear. Merlin broke off his caresses with a gasp and his fingers dug into Arthur’s waist.  
Arthur dropped a kiss on Merlin’s ear, then pulled back to rest his forehead against Merlin’s. Both of them struggled to regain their breath. After a few moments, Merlin dropped his head and buried his face in the crook of Arthur’s neck.  
“What do we do now?” he whispered.  
Arthur shook his head “I have no idea”. His voice was rough and he kissed Merlin’s hair. “Merlin?”  
“Yes?”  
“Thank you for taking the first step.” Arthur felt Merlin’s smile against his neck, and, he could swear, he felt that damned dimple.


End file.
